Take a Stand for Musicians & Fans: Stop the UMG-EMI Merger

Digital distribution of music has changed the way we experience music and has begun to level the playing field between major record labels, independent labels, and unsigned artists. But major labels still dominate the market, controlling which new digital services live and die.

Now, major record label Universal Music Group (UMG) is attempting to acquire another major label, EMI. This would result in two companies—UMG and Sony—controlling almost 70% of the recorded music market. At that rate of consolidation, no new digital music service could exist without the blessing of UMG and Sony (and only those that do business on UMG and Sony’s terms would get their blessing).

That type of market power would raise prices, harm independent labels and unsigned artists, and stunt the growth of innovation in the music industry.

The proposed UMG-EMI merger is bad for musicians and bad for their fans. Please urge antitrust authorities to reject the merger. Send a letter calling for the rejection of the merger to the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees.

Letter to

U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees

SenatorChuck Grassley

RepresentativeBob Goodlatte

and 7 others

SenatorTammy Baldwin

SenatorPatrick Leahy

RepresentativeLamar Smith

RepresentativeMel Watt

RepresentativeGary Peters 2

Federal Trade Commission

SenatorMike Lee

Major record label Universal Music Group (UMG) is attempting to acquire another major label, EMI. This would result in two companies—UMG and Sony—controlling almost 70% of the music market. That type of market power would raise prices, harm independent labels and unsigned artists, and stunt the growth of innovation in the music industry.

The proposed UMG-EMI merger is bad for musicians, bad for fans, and bad for the market. I urge you to reject the merger.